Stock pot with fitted strainer-basket

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for cooking foods such as stock or pasta, rice including a container which receives a liquid to be heated and a cooking strainer-basket partially submerged in the liquid for cooking within the container, the container and the strainer-basket configured with cooperating selectively engaging support members for alternatively positioning of the strainer-basket in the liquid for cooking of the food and repositioning of the strainer-basket above the liquid to provide for straining of the food.

BACKGROUND

The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts.

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates in general apparatus for cooking foodssuch as stock or pasta and more particularly to a container havingliquid to be heated and having selectively placed generally cylindricalsupport pins, and a fitted cooking strainer-basket specifically shapedwith alternating outwardly and inwardly extending circular planarsections for positioning of the strainer-basket within the container forcooking of the food and alternatively repositioning of said basket abovecontainer for straining of food.

2. Prior Art

Apparatus for cooking and/or straining of pasta and the like have becomecommonplace and a variety of such apparatus are known in the art,however, prior art devices are inefficient, difficult to work with, andunsafe. It is a feature of the present invention to provide a new andimproved cooking apparatus for cooking and for straining of food that ismore easy to use, more efficient, safer, and more economical than priorart devices. It is another feature of the invention to provide cookingand straining apparatus that does not require removal of the cookingbasket from the container for straining of the food. Other objects ofthe invention will become apparent with reading of the specificationtaken with the drawings wherein there is shown and described theapparatus of the invention.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides apparatus for cooking stock and or foodssuch as pasta and includes a container which receives a liquid, such aswater, to be heated and a cooking strainer-basket within the containerwhich is submerged in the liquid for cooking. The container havingselectively placed outwardly extending generally cylindrical supportpins along the interior face of said container, and a fittedcooking-basket specifically shaped with alternating outwardly andinwardly extending circular planar sections for alternativelypositioning of the basket in the water, oil, or other liquid, forcooking of the food and repositioning of the basket above the water,oil, or other liquid to provide for straining of the food.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the cooking apparatus in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates in cross-sectional view the cooking strainer-basketof FIG. 1 submerged in the liquid for cooking of food.

FIG. 3 illustrates in cross-sectional view one configuration of thesupport pins and the handle of the container

FIG. 4 illustrates the strainer-basket of FIG. 1 positioned above thecooking liquid with the container pins and the alternating outwardly andinwardly extending circular planar sections of the strainer-basketrotated so that the outward section is aligned over the support pins toengage and support said basket above liquid for straining of the food.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing the positioning of the outwardly extendingcircular planar section of the strainer-basket rotated and aligned overthe support pins (shown dotted below) to engage the container supportpins, allowing for the strainer-basket to be raised and supported at thefood straining position within the container;

FIG. 6 illustrates the apparatus of the invention with the containersupport pins, and the inwardly extending circular planar section of thestrainer basket rotated and aligned with container support pins allowingfor the strainer-basket to clear the support pins and to be fullyinserted into the container and ready for storage or cooking; andtransport.

FIG. 7 is a top view showing the positioning of the inwardly extendingcircular planar section of the strainer-basket rotated to clear thecontainer support pins allowing for insertion of basket into containerfor cooking of food.

DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in general, and particularly to FIG. 1,there is shown in exploded view, the stock pot cooking apparatus of theinvention, generally designated 10. The cooking apparatus 10 includes acircular water container 11, a circular cooking strainer-basketgenerally designated 12, having a lower portion 12 a with a generaldiameter less than the inside diameter of container 11 for fittingwithin container 11, and an upper circumferential portion 12 b with adiameter greater than the outside diameter of container 11 andconfigured with a shoulder-like projection extending outwardly from thetop of container 11 to restrain insertion of strainer-basket 12 intocontainer 11, and lid 13 for fitting over the upper portion 12 b ofstrainer-basket 12. Container 11 includes two side handles 11 a (oneshown), for smaller stock pots only one handle may be needed, acontinuous outwardly extending top lip 11 b, and interior selectivelypositioned support pins 11 c. Generally cylindrical pins 11 c areselectively spaced intermittently around the interior of the container11, are generally pin like and extend generally perpendicularly inwardlyfrom the interior wall of container 11. Strainer-basket 12 includescircumferentially alternating undulating outwardly 12 d and inwardlyextending 12 g circular planar sections that when rotated outwardsections engage with pins 11 c to support strainer-basket 12 abovecooking liquid for staining of food. As indicated in dotted lines onFIG. 2 the bottom 12 h of strainer-basket 12 may be concave upward intostrainer-basket 12 to help eliminate water surface tension.

Lower portion 12 a of strainer-basket 12 includes selectively placedapertures 12 c, and circumferentially alternating undulating outwardly12 d and inwardly 12 g extending circular planar sections. Outwardlyextending sections 12 d are generally circular planar and extendgenerally perpendicularly outwardly from the exterior wall ofstrainer-basket lower section 12 a. Outward planar sections 12 d areselectively spaced intermittently around the exterior lower section ofstrainer-basket 12 a. Inwardly extending sections 12 g are generallycircular planar and extend generally perpendicularly inward for theexterior wall of strainer-basket lower section 12 a. Upper portion 12 bincludes a circumferentially configured outwardly extending upperportion 12 e. Upper portion includes two handles 12 f (one handle forsmaller version). Lid 13 includes top handle 13 a. Strainer-basket 12may be rotated within container 11 such that inwardly extending circularplanar sections 12 g do not overlay pins 11 c but disengage to form anopening for strainer-basket 12 to pass into the cooking liquid.Conversely, strainer-basket 12 may be rotated within container 11 suchthat outwardly extending circular planar sections 12 d sufficientlyoverlay pins 11 c to restrict the opening to prevent passage ofstrainer-basket 12 and thus provide support for draining ofstrainer-basket 12.

FIG. 2 illustrates in cross-sectional view the cooking-strainer basket12 of FIG. 1 submerged in liquid such as water (indicated by wavy lines)for cooking of food. The generally cylindrical support pins 11 c ofcontainer 11 and inward circular section 12 g of strainer-basket 12 havebeen disengaged permitting the lower portion 12 a of strainer-basket 12to be inserted into container 11 until upper portion 12 b is sittingwithin lip 11 b of container 11. In this position the foodstrainer-basket 12 is submerged for cooking. In this figure it is moreclearly seen, in dotted lines, how the bottom 12 h may be concave upwardwithin strainer-basket 12 to help in eliminating water surface tension.It is to be understood that the position of the strainer-basket bottom12 h, liquid level within the container 11, depth of the strainer-basket12, and the location of the container 11 and strainer-basket 12 supportpins 11 c and alternating planar sections 12 d and 12 g, respectivelymay be varied within the scope of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross sectional view of one configuration of thegenerally cylindrical support pins of container 11 that support theoutwardly extending planar sections 12 g of strainer-basket 12. In thisFigure it is also shown how the handle 11 a may be made so that thesupport pin 11 c may also support the handle 11 a.

FIG. 4 shows strainer-basket 12 positioned in the food strainingposition above the liquid in container 11. As indicated by the arrows 5,strainer-basket 12 has been rotated into position so that the outwardlyextending circular planar section 12 d overlay the support pins 11 c oncontainer 11. That is, outwardly extending circular planar sections 12 dare rotated into a position to overlay pins 11 c, so as to restrict theopening to thereby prevent passage of strainer-basket 12, and thusprovide support for draining of strainer-basket 12.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing the positioning of the outwardly extendingcircular planar support section 12 g of strainer-basket 12 above thepins 11 c of container 11 allowing for the strainer-basket to be raisedand supported at the food straining position within the container 11.

FIG. 6 illustrates the apparatus of the invention with the support pins11 c of container 11, and the inwardly extending circular planarsections 12 g in the open position wherein strainer-basket 12 is fullyinserted into container 11 until the upper portion 12 b is sitting onlip 11 b of container 11. In this manner the apparatus of the inventionis closed for cooking, storage, and or transport.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the apparatus 10 of the invention with the lid13 removed to show the open, or disengaged, positioning of the inwardlyextending circular planar sections 12 g of strainer-basket 12 andsupport pins 11 c of container 11, thus allowing for strainer-basket 12to be inserted fully into container 11. In this positioning the upperportion 12 b is sitting within lip 11 b of container 11.

While the principles of the invention have been described andillustrated in a single embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilledin the art that many modifications of structure, arrangement,proportions, materials, and components used in the practice of theinvention can be particularly adapted for specific environments andoperating requirements without departing from these principles.

What is claimed is:
 1. Food cooking apparatus comprising: a circularvertically extending container for receiving a cooking liquid to beheated; a circular food strainer-basket positionable within saidcontainer for partially submerging within said cooking liquid, saidcontainer having selectively positioned first support means and saidstrainer-basket configured with second support means cooperating withsaid first support means for alternatively positioning of thestrainer-basket in the liquid for cooking of the food and repositioningof the strainer-basket above the liquid for straining of the food; andsaid first support means extend circumferentially inwardly along theinterior of said container and said strainer-basket second support meansinclude complimentary sections for coacting with said first supportmeans to engage to restrain insertion of said strainer-basket into saidcooking liquid or disengage to allow insertion of said strainer-basketinto said cooking liquid.
 2. The food cooking apparatus of claim 1wherein: said strainer-basket includes a lower portion and an upperportion, said lower portion submersible in said cooking liquid with saidsecond support means configured with supporting semi-circular sectionsinterspersed with non-supporting recessed semi-circular sections; andsaid upper portion includes a shoulder configured for extendingoutwardly from the top of said container to restrain insertion of saidstrainer-basket.
 3. The food cooking apparatus of claim 2 wherein saidcontainer first support means and said strainer-basket supportingsections are coactively positioned to restrain insertion of saidstrainer-basket into said cooking liquid.
 4. The food cooking apparatusof claim 2 wherein said container first support means and saidstrainer-basket non-supporting recessed sections are aligned to allowinsertion of said strainer-basket into said cooking liquid.
 5. The foodcooking apparatus of claim 2 wherein said container first support meansare intermittent and extend inwardly along the interior of saidcontainer; said strainer-basket support sections are intermittent andlocated circumferentially around said strainer-basket lower section;said strainer-basket inwardly extending semi-circular sections areintermittent and extend perpendicularly inward from said strainer-basketlower section; and said strainer-basket is positionable within saidcontainer whereby said strainer-basket inwardly extending non-supportingcircular sections and said container support means are aligned anddisengaged to permit passage of said strainer basket into said containerand conversely said strainer-basket is positionable within saidcontainer whereby said strainer-basket circumferentially supportingsections are engaged and overlay said container support means torestrict passage of said strainer-basket and provide support fordraining of said strainer-basket.
 6. The food apparatus of claim 5wherein said container includes a circumferentially outwardly extendingtop lip; said strainer-basket upper portion is circumferentiallyconfigured and extends outwardly from said strainer-basket; said lowerportion includes selectively placed strainer apertures; and when saidstrainer-basket is fully inserted into said container, said upperportion is supported within said top lip of said container.
 7. Foodcooking apparatus comprising: a container for receiving a cooking liquidto be heated; and a strainer-basket within said container which ispartially submerged in said liquid for cooking of food, said containerand said strainer-basket configured with cooperating selectivelypositioned support members for alternatively positioning of the basketin the liquid for cooking of food and repositioning of thestrainer-basket above the liquid to provide for straining of saidstrainer-basket.
 8. The food cooking apparatus of claim 7 wherein saidcontainer and said strainer-basket are circular with saidstrainer-basket having a diameter suitable for fitting into saidcontainer; said container includes a circumferentially outwardlyextending top lip and selectively positioned interior inwardly extendingsupport members; said strainer-basket has a lower portion and an upperportion, said lower portion including circumferentially extendingsemi-circular support sections alternating with inwardly extendingnon-supporting semi-circular sections for cooperating with saidcontainer support members to position said strainer-basket within saidcontainer; and said upper portion is supported within said top lip ofsaid container.
 9. The food cooking apparatus of claim 8 furtherincluding a top lid for fitting over said upper portion of saidstrainer-basket.
 10. The food cooking apparatus of claim 8 wherein saidlower portion includes selectively placed strainer apertures.
 11. Foodcooking apparatus comprising: a cooking container having a bottom and anopen top; a food basket having a top portion and a bottom portion, saidbottom portion configured for fitting into said container and said topportion having dimensions precluding insertion into said container; andsaid container and said food basket configured with coacting members forpositioning said bottom portion of said food basket a desired distancewithin said container for cooking of said food and repositioning of saidfood basket bottom portion within said container for straining of saidfood.
 12. The food cooking apparatus of claim 11 wherein said bottomportion of said food basket includes means for fluid interchange withsaid container.
 13. The food cooking apparatus of claim 12 wherein saidcontainer includes a liquid for cooking of said food and said foodbasket bottom portion is selectively inserted into said liquid forcooking of the food or repositioned for straining of the food.
 14. Thefood cooking apparatus of claim 13 wherein said container and said foodbasket are circular and said container includes support means extendinginwardly along the interior of said container and said food basketbottom portion includes complimentary sections for engaging saidcontainer support means to limit insertion of said food basket abovesaid liquid or for disengaging from said container support means toallow insertion of said food basket into said liquid.
 15. The foodcooking apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for fluid interchangeincludes selectively placed strainer apertures.
 16. The food cookingapparatus of claim 15 further including a lid for fitting over said topportion of said strainer-basket.